The songs of degrees; the godly in the land with Gog's power not yet destroyed

We now come, Psalms 120-134, to the songs of degrees, which
depict, I doubt not, the outward circumstances of the same period,
when Israel is in the land, but the power of Gog not yet
destroyed. The first of this series begins with the statement of the
cry sent up by the godly in his distress to Jehovah who heard. The
special charge here is deceit and falsehood. Judgment should come on
it. But it is against the godly himself, not the violence and
oppression done to Jerusalem, or the apostate oppression of the
people. His woe is to dwell in Mesech, and among the tents of
Kedar. Wrong is in their hearts; and, when the godly spoke of peace,
they prepared for battle. It does not seem to me to be the
oppression of Antichrist, or the beast at Jerusalem, but to apply to
those who in the land found themselves where the last hostile power
which had pretended to favour them,* and had led many to apostatise
for quietness and prosperity, now showed himself as only a deceitful
oppressor.